Authors: Moore, Sophie E.; Collinson, Andrew C.; Fulford, Anthony J.C.¹; Jalil, Fehmida²; Siegrist, Claire-Anne³; Goldblatt, David⁴; Hanson, Lars Å.⁵; Prentice, Andrew M.

Source: Tropical Medicine & International Health, Volume 11, Number 10, October 2006 , pp. 1529-1541(13)

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Abstract:

Summary Objective 

To explore the relationship between calendar month of administration and antibody (Ab) response to vaccination in subjects from The Gambia and Pakistan, two countries with distinct patterns of seasonality. Methods 

Three cohorts were investigated: Responses to rabies and pneumococcal vaccine were assessed in 472 children (mean age 8 years, males 53%) from rural Gambia. Responses to tetanus, diphtheria and hepatitis B (HBsAg) were investigated in 138 infants also from The Gambia (birth to 52 weeks of age, males 54%). Responses to rabies and Vi typhoid vaccines were assessed in 257 adults from Lahore, Pakistan (mean age 29.4 years, males 57%). Results 

In Gambian children, significant associations were observed between month of vaccination and Ab response for the pneumococcal and rabies vaccines. As no consistent pattern by month was observed between the responses, it is assumed that different immunomodulatory stimuli or mechanisms were involved. In Pakistani adults, a significant pattern by month of vaccination was observed with both rabies and typhoid vaccine. No monthly influences were observed in the infant study to the tetanus, diphtheria or the HbsAg vaccines. Conclusions 

Antibody responses to certain specific vaccines are influenced by month of administration. Further research is required to elucidate the precise mechanisms explaining these observations, but a co-stimulatory effect of seasonally variable environmental antigens is a likely cause. Future studies of Ab response to vaccination in countries with a seasonally dependent environment should consider month of vaccination when interpreting study findings.

Keywords: vaccination; seasonality; antibody response; Gambia; Pakistan

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3156.2006.01700.x

Affiliations: 1:  MRC International Nutrition Group, Nutrition and Public Health Intervention Research Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK 2:  Department of Social and Preventive Paediatrics, King Edward Medical College and Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan 3:  Departments of Pathology-Immunology and Pediatrics, WHO Collaborating Center for Neonatal Vaccinology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland 4:  Immunobiology Unit, Institute of Child Health, London, UK 5:  Department of Clinical Immunology, University of Göteborg, Göteborg, Sweden

Publication date: 2006-10-01

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